Charles Barkley believes the new-look Los Angeles Lakers could be as good as—or better than—the 2024 Dallas Mavericks team that reached the NBA Finals. The comparison is intriguing after Los Angeles reshaped its roster around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. The Mavericks, however, had something the Lakers do not yet have: postseason proof.
Barkley predicted on the Bill Simmons Podcast, where he praised both Doncic and Reaves before comparing the Lakers favorably with Dallas. “I think they’re gonna be better than people realize,” Barkley said. “Luka and Kyrie took the Mavs to the Finals, come on, man. This team is probably better; this team is probably just as good as that team.” Barkley also stopped short of predicting a championship, saying the Lakers would be fine but not expecting them to win the title.
Barkley’s optimism is understandable. Los Angeles has committed to building around After a 2026 season that ended with a second-round sweep against Oklahoma City, the Lakers reshaped their roster around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. The front office added Walker Kessler, Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton and Sandro Mamukelashvili to support that new core.
The Lakers roster also has legitimate offensive firepower. Reaves averaged 23.3 points, 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds in 51 games during the 2025-26 regular season while shooting 49.0% from the field and 36.0% from three-point range.
Kessler gives Los Angeles a different type of advantage. The 7-foot-2 center averaged 11.1 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks in 58 games during the 2024-25 season, providing the rebounding and rim protection the Lakers lacked at times. Those additions make Barkley’s optimism reasonable, but talent alone does not establish how a roster will function when playoff opponents have multiple games to attack its weaknesses.
The 2024 Dallas Mavericks won 50 games, finished fifth in the Western Conference and advanced through three playoff rounds before losing the NBA Finals to Boston. The 2024 playoffs showed exactly what Dallas could do when games slowed down, and opponents repeatedly targeted its weaknesses.
Doncic was extraordinary throughout that run, leading the 2024 playoffs in scoring with 635 points while also ranking first in total rebounds and assists. Dallas did not reach the Finals because Doncic carried an otherwise empty roster, though. Kyrie Irving provided a second elite creator who could handle the ball, score in isolation, and punish defenses when they overloaded toward Doncic.
The Western Conference finals illustrated the value of that pairing. Luka Doncic averaged 32.4 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 8.2 assists against Minnesota. Kyrie Irving added 27.0 points and 4.6 assists per game. Dallas had two players capable of creating offense when the defense knew exactly where the attack was coming from.
The supporting cast also fit the formula. P.J. Washington and Derrick Jones Jr. supplied size and defensive versatility. Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford provided vertical threats around the rim. Dallas could play bigger without completely sacrificing its ability to attack defenses through Doncic and Irving.
Los Angeles has a legitimate argument that its supporting cast could be deeper than Dallas’ 2024 group. Reaves is coming off a 23.3-point season, Kessler brings elite size and rebounding, while Grimes and Sexton give the Lakers additional perimeter options. Those additions support the broader case that the Lakers have a proven path to building around Doncic. They have not yet proven they can match Dallas’ 2024 postseason run.
The biggest difference is that Reaves does not need to duplicate everything Irving provided. Doncic remains the primary offensive engine, and Reaves can attack closeouts, create secondary offense, and punish defenses that commit too heavily to Luka.
Kessler also addresses a major roster need. The center’s 12.2 rebounds per game in 2024-25 demonstrate the potential value of a true interior presence. Kessler’s 2.4 blocks per game also give Los Angeles a defensive tool Dallas did not have in exactly the same form.
Still, Kessler is not a complete solution to the problems that come with building a defense around Doncic. Opponents can force centers into uncomfortable decisions in space, and playoff offenses will repeatedly test whether Kessler can remain effective when pulled away from the basket.
The wing rotation creates another uncertainty. Washington and Jones were important to Dallas because they combined size, athleticism, and defensive versatility around its two stars. Los Angeles has added perimeter talent, but those players have not yet demonstrated that they can reproduce that playoff role against the best offenses in the West.
The strongest case against Barkley’s comparison is not that the Lakers lack talent. Dallas already demonstrated that its talent worked together when the stakes were highest. The difference showed up in the 2026 playoffs. The Lakers were swept by Oklahoma City in the Western Conference semifinals, with the NBA series ending in a 4-0 defeat. Oklahoma City won the four games by an average of 16 points per game, including a 131-108 victory in Game 3.
That sweep does not prove the new Lakers cannot become better than the 2024 Mavericks. The roster has changed significantly since then, but the result shows why the comparison remains a projection rather than an established fact.
The Western Conference has also changed. Oklahoma City is now the team the Lakers must beat, while San Antonio has emerged as another major threat. Matching what Dallas accomplished in 2024 may not even be enough to reach the Finals in the current conference.
The central question is whether Los Angeles can turn its talent into the same type of postseason reliability Dallas displayed. Reaves must show that his regular-season production can translate against playoff defenses designed specifically to remove his strengths. Kessler must prove he can protect the rim without becoming a liability when opponents drag him into space. Grimes and the rest of the wing rotation must establish enough defensive consistency to keep Doncic from carrying every possession.
Health is another major variable. Doncic, Reaves and Kessler all need enough continuity to develop a reliable rotation before the postseason arrives. Los Angeles also needs a second offensive option capable of taking over when opponents make Doncic work for every shot. Reaves may eventually become that player, but Dallas already knew Irving could fill that role when the Mavericks reached the Finals.
That is the difference between potential and proof. The Lakers may have enough talent to make Barkley look smart. They may even have a deeper roster than Dallas had in 2024. The unanswered question is whether those pieces can develop the same level of playoff chemistry, defensive discipline, and late-game execution.
Charles Barkley is not unreasonable for believing the Lakers will surprise people. Doncic remains one of the NBA’s most dangerous offensive players, Reaves is entering his prime, and Kessler gives Los Angeles a legitimate interior presence. The problem is treating those ingredients as if they have already produced the same result Dallas achieved in 2024.
Barkley’s prediction could prove correct. Right now, however, saying the Lakers are better than the 2024 Mavericks requires projecting what Los Angeles might become rather than evaluating what it has already accomplished. The comparison is bold and interesting, but for now, it remains a massive stretch.
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